JAPANESE/AMERICAN CROSS-CULTURAL
BUSINESS NEGOTIATIONS
Akihisa Kumayama
男性生殖器英语American Graduate School
of International Management
INTRODUCTION
When negotiating with Japane business people, American business people sometimes feel uncomfortable, puzzled, lost, irritated and the like, bad on some unfamiliar customs and behaviors demonstrated by the Japane business people. Nothing is more comfortable and cure than understanding the cross-cultural aspect. Understanding can facilitate communication and avoid misunderstanding. Understanding then can also make the Japane business people feel comfortable. This also enhances business negotiations.
When it comes to dealing with the Japane business people, they negotiate with the American busineambrosia
ss people, bringing their own cultural background. In many cas, what may be considered to be acceptable by American standards may be unacceptable to the Japane. Japane and American cultures doe not em to have many things in common. At the same time, no Japane would give American business people a single clue. informing them that what they have done might not have been acceptable.
Although minor mistakes are permissible, misunderstandings and failure to recognize important cultural subtleties may lead to stagnation or dismissal of the negotiations. In reference to the cross-cultural aspect, more strict rules must be obrved for the Japane culture than for the American culture.
In this paper, many cross-culturally related areas in business negotiations are discusd. They are gift exchange in negotiations, values, exchanging business cards, and the like.
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Naturally, the cross cultural areas are not the entire core of the cross cultural business negotiation. However, the initial understanding of the Japane cross cultural business negotiations may be a good start.
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BUSINESS PRACTICE AND CUSTOMS
In this ction, three areas are discusd: (a) business suits, (b) business card exchange, and (c) gift exchange (temiyage).
Many Japane businessmen tend to wear dark suits of navy blue, dark gray or brown. They consider the colors to be acceptable at business meetings, for working in the company, for meeting their client, and the like. The suits and neckties that they wear are quite conrvative.
A Japane businessman usually fastens the high button of his suit when he comes into a room to meet with his American counterpart to discuss possible business negotiations. Bad on Japane business practice, it is common for a Japane businessman to fasten that button before he greets his partner for the first time or when he talks to a superior or an older person, while standing. However, it is permissible for him to unbutton it while he is sitting in a chair. If his superior or a client comes in to introduce him to another person while he is ated, it is also a common practice for him to fasten the higher button first and to stand up in order to talk to them.
Business Card Exchange (meishi)
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Among the Japane, when businessmen meet each other, business begins with the exchange of business cards.
"Each day in Japan, an estimated 10 million to 12 million of the 2-by-3-inch meishi (business cards) are pasd in a preci ceremonial exchange of bows that help keep this status-oriented society together.:"
(Arizona Republic, 1986)
Taking Out a Business Card
There are many different methods of taking a business card out of a business suit. One way is to keep some business cards in a small pocket located on the lower left part of the inside of the jacket. Another way to take out a business card is to keep the cards in a small wallet. Either way is acceptable as long as the businessman does not spend too much time looking for his business card, thus making his partner wait.1
When giving a business card, picking up papers from a briefca, putting papers back into a briefca and the like, it is considered very important to the Japane not to make one's counterpart wait.
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Giving and Receiving Business Cards
When Japane exchange business cards, it is common practice to stand up and give their business cards with two hands rather than with one hand, while at the same time bowing slightly. Bowing indicates humility and politeness as well as courtesy. Furthermore, when a Japane businessman gives his business card, he normally turns it in such a way that the receiver can read it without having to turn it. Becau the behaviors imply humble, polite, and courteous manners, when exchanging business cards, it is also very rare for a Japane businessman to receive a card with one hand. If he does not u both hands, the other Japane will consider him extremely rude.
Although the Japane businessman may hand his business card with two hands to an American or foreigner, the foreigner may receive it with one hand. This is due to the fact that the foreigner would not know the Japane business practice. The Japane businessman would not feel offended, but slightly uncomfortable feelings may in fact remain.
Contents of a Business Card
As a Japane businessman receives a business card, he usually takes a look at it and reads the description of the contents.
"It is bad form simply to pocket a newly received card. You should study it for
a moment with a furrowed look of interest." (Arizona Republic, 1986) When a Japane businessman receives a business card, he looks at it in order to find (1) the name of the other businessman, (2) his title, (3) the name of his company, (4) address, and (5) telephone number. He would like to know the other person's jo
b description, his accountability, his age and title. (For further information on different ranks and titles, plea refer to the final chart .)2
According to the Japane corporate hierarchy system which is bad on niority and merit, the accountability and responsibility given to each person is pretty much determined by administrative position. For example, in order to assume the position of department chief (bucho), a man usually must be 45 years old or more, and to assume the position of ction chief (kacho), he usually must be at least 40 years old.
When the Japane businessman talks about a sale of goods, he is often able to tell from the other person's title whether or not the decision to purcha the goods might be made by that person. For this reason, the ller can be assured that he can ll the goods without having to get approval of a superior officer.
Age and Title
In Japane companies, most department chiefs (bucho) are 45 years old or older. However some young Japane businessmen can be promoted to ction chief
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(kacho) or department chief (bucho), let's say at the age of 38 or so. When the receiver es the title of department chief on the business card, and the other businessman looks quite young, possible below 40 years old, the receiver can make the assumption that the other businessman is an extremely capable person for having earned that title at such a young age. Becau one's age and title in most cas have a strong relationship, one can pretty much guess a Japane person's age when looking at his business card, even without having met him. For further information in corporate ranking, plea refer to the chart after the references.
GIFT EXCHANGE (temiyage)
In giving a gift, a Japane will stand up and hold the gift out with his two hands. Then the other Japane is expected to stand up and extend his two hands in order to receive the gift. The process of exchanging gifts is known as temiyage. It is desirable for a foreigner to stand up and receive a gift from a Japane with two hands, becau in the mind of the Japane, there exists a n of expectation that courteous feelings and appreciation should be demonstrated in this manner.
When a Japane stands up and gives a gift with two hands, if a foreigner remains ated and receives the gift with one hand, the Japane may feel slightly hurt and the manner would give an unfavorable impression. This is becau the Japane feels that he has made an effort to bring the gift for the foreigner, but the foreigner has taken it lightly. It ems to the Japane that the receiver did not consider the giving of the gift to be of value. To the Japane, what is important is the thought and effort made in bringing the gift, rather than the value of the gift itlf.
Although it may be permissible for the foreigner to remain ated and receive the gift with one hand, there remain some negative feelings in the mind of the Japane.3 When a gift is received, it would be nice to say "Thanks again for the omiyage (gift)," at the end of the conversation. This makes the
Japane feel that the receiver appreciates the fact that he was given a gift. As a result, the Japane feels content, happy and that it was worthwhile to bring the gift for the receiver.
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General Practice of Gift Exchange
In cas other than business, when the Japane bring gifts to one another, they wish to convey their friendly feelings to each other. Although it would be possible to express such feelings as friendliness in other ways, their main objective is to express the with something tangible, such as a gift, rather than something intangible, like verbal communication.
A gift can also indicate that they wish to have some kind of relationship with each other. If the receiver is a friend, the giver could be eking a deeper
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friendship. By prenting a gift, the intention of eking such a relationship is made clearer and appears greater than without it.
Business Transactions and Gift Exchange
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Generally speaking in Japan, when Japane businessmen from one company visit another Japane company to do business, they do not take gifts with them except, perhaps, on their initial visit. Then they might bring gifts such as cakes or sweet pastries. However when it comes to international business negotiations to be held in the U.S. between an American company and a Japane company, a gift is often brought.4 If it is the first opportunity to get acquainted with each other, the giving of a gift is just a form of greeting. Prenting a gift implies good will, a friendly attitude and possibly, a desire to do business together. The practice of giving a gift is ud in order to express the feelings indirectly rather than to express them verbally, which is too direct. Usually the Japane would not take a gift on subquent business meetings.
When getting acquainted with each other for the first time, if the receiver is a high ranking businessman such as a member of the board, the president, or the vice president of a large American company, for example, the price, quality and value of the gift will also be high.5
Even on the first occasion, whether the Japane bring a small or large gift with them depends on the size difference between the two companies, type of business negotiations, participants and the like. In other words, generally, if the Japane company is small and hopes to have many business transactions or large transactions, they will nd high ranking participants to meet in a negotiation an
d will nd expensive gifts as well.
Gift Exchange and Expectation
The giving of a gift by the Japane for the first time is not intended to push or to force a n of obligation on the receiver's part to return the favor by doing business together. For instance, when a Japane businessman goes to the headquarters of another company to discuss the possibility of their doing business together, he will at the same time take a gift. Thus, he is showing that his company is interested in their doing business with the other company, but at this stage, neither side knows whether or not that goal will be achieved.
Gift Giving during the Process of a Business Transaction
When both parties have met with each other and have agreed to do business together, particularly just before the business decision making process and/or signing of a contract, some Japane may bring valuable gifts for their
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counterparts. This type of gift giving, however, has great expectations and shows a strong commitm
ent to doing business together.
Opening the Gift
To the Japane, the value lies in the bringing of a gift and the effort that is made to bring it. The person bringing the gift hopes that the receiver has recognized this and appreciates that a gift was brought. The contents of the gift itlf is not the primary concern for the Japane.
In Japan, it is customary for a Japane to take a gift when meeting another person for the first time. This custom is carried over into business and therefore, a Japane businessman might bring a gift to an American businessman at the first meeting.wbc是什么意思
Becau more emphasis is placed on the bringing of the gift rather than the contents of the gift, normally when a Japane receives a gift from another Japane, the receiver does not open the gift in the prence of the giver. (The author has never witnesd a ca in which a Japane opened a gift in the prence of another Japane.) If the Japane receiver opened it in the prence of the giver, the giver would probably consider that the receiver had demonstrated an extremely blatant act.
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When it comes to an American businessman receiving a gift in an American company, the Japane businessmen tend to understand the different custom of opening the gift in front of the giver in the U.S. as oppod to in Japan.6 Many Japane businessmen consider opening the gift in their prence to be permissible, though it is still preferable that it would remain unopened. Some Japane businessmen feel that it would be even better for the American businessmen asked kindly for permission.
生活大爆炸 第5季On the other hand, an American businessman receiving a gift from a Japane businessman in Japan is a different "ball game." In this ca, becau the gift giving takes place in Japan and becau a Japane would not open a gift in the prence of the Japane who gives it, opening a gift in the prence of the giver would be considered to be against the rule.7In many cas, it would make the Japane feel extremely uncomfortable, especially when being asked for permission. This is becau the Japane would find it extremely difficult to say "No," as this is also considered rude.
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Sometimes, especially when a clear difference in rank exists, the Japane businessman may not give the identical gift to all businessmen prent. In addition, the Japane may be more cloly associated to one businessman than another. In such a context, the Japane might give a more expensive gift to the higher ranking or better known person. Thus if the American businessmen open
their gifts in the
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